On this day, a monk came to the living room of Guoqing Temple. He had a big belly and no luggage in his pocket. He just carried a dirty and colorless cloth bag on the head of his Zen staff. Needless to say, he is the Budai monk.
However, the head of Guoqing Temple didn't know who he was, so he asked as usual: "Where are you from?"
"Intersection." Budai monk's answer may seem ordinary, but it is a divine answer. Not only is it perfect, but it also contains infinite Zen meaning.
However, the old master of Guoqing Temple seemed not to understand the meaning of Zen, so he missed it in person and asked, "Where are we going?"
A flower of wisdom blooming in the heart of Budai monk is like a wordless sigh, drifting away in the wind. He looked reserved and replied listlessly: "Just come here."
The old master asked: "Can you preach the scriptures?"
Budai shook his head.
"Then, can you recite sutras and repent?"
Budai shook his head again.
The flowery smile on the old master's face solidified into cold frost flowers: "Then, why do you come to our Guoqing Temple to hang out?"
The Budai monk said naively, "The old master is compassionate. Although the young monk is uneducated and has no skills, he has the same benefit." He patted his big belly and said, "No matter how much grievances and sufferings are, they can be accommodated here. So. , just leave me to be the leader."
"You look so slovenly, you can only wait for the fire sticks!"
Therefore, Budai monk became an ascetic specializing in cooking stoves in Guoqing Temple.
The firewood burned in the mountain temple is very complex, including crop straw and pine branches and firewood. When the Budai monk was lighting the fire, he often picked up some rice, bean grains, pine nuts, and hazelnuts from the firewood and stuffed them all into his cloth bag. There were also some shriveled and wrinkled mountain fruits. He didn't care about them and threw them all into the bag, not knowing what they were used for.
The north wind rises, and two rows of autumn geese come flying;
The frost has condensed the flowers, and the cotoneaster leaves have turned the hills red;
Snowflakes are flying, and the rooftop is covered with silver makeup;
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the sacred fruit of Bodhi is fragrant...
Laba Day is the day when Buddha Sakyamuni became enlightened.
At the beginning, after Sakyamuni became a monk, he went through six years of asceticism and came to the banks of the Neranja River.
After bathing in the clear river water, he felt relaxed and happy. He walked into the forest on the river bank, under a Bodhi tree, made a Vajra seat with auspicious grass, and sat cross-legged.
In the early morning of this day, a bright star rose slowly in the eastern sky - the Morning Star.
It corresponded with Sakyamuni's heart, and thus, the most brilliant light of wisdom burst out in the universe - Sakyamuni attained great enlightenment!
Since then, this day, the eighth day of the eighth lunar month of the eighth lunar month, the day when the Buddha became enlightened, has become one of the most important festivals for Buddhists all over the world. The Dharma conference held on this day is called the "Enlightenment Conference".
Believers from inside and outside the mountains came to Guoqing Temple to participate in the Enlightenment Dharma Assembly, so all the monks in the temple were very busy.
The head of the storehouse in charge of rice grains was only thinking about participating in the chanting ceremony at the Main Hall, and forgot to take out the rice grains for lunch today.
The ceremony of the Dharma Assembly is extremely solemn, and no interruptions are allowed during the ceremony. Therefore, the rice cooks are anxiously waiting for the rice to be put into the pot, but they are helpless - a clever woman cannot cook without rice, and a rice monk cannot cook porridge without rice.
Look, it’s almost noon. If we don’t cook porridge, all the monks in the temple and the important donors who came to attend the Dharma ceremony will be hungry!
At this time, the Budai monk took out his precious cloth bag and poured all kinds of rice, beans, grains, dried fruits and delicacies that he usually picked up from the firewood into it. In the hungry pot, the miscellaneous ingredients were boiled into a pot of porridge.
At noon, the Dharma assembly ended. Hundreds of monks and Tan Yue walked into the dining hall to eat. They saw the porridge in their bowls, including yellow rice, white rice, glutinous rice, millet rice, kidney beans, mung beans, white beans, red beans, plus Peach kernels, almonds, melon seeds, peanut kernels, as well as hazelnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, dates, and some unnamed dried and fresh fruits...
Oh my god, is this rice, or is it a vegetable? Is this hodgepodge edible? Even if it could be eaten, what kind of strange taste would it have?
During the fasting period in the temple, you are not allowed to talk, and you are not allowed to pick and choose. Regardless of whether you like to eat or not, all the food that has been put into the bowl must be eaten, and it must not be wasted.
People have to bite the bullet and taste this kind of miscellaneous porridge that they have never seen before...
It’s really unimaginable that the porridge cooked by such a mess can be so smooth, sweet, and delicious!
People seemed to be sweeping away fallen leaves in the autumn wind, and there was a sound of forgetful drinking of porridge in the dining hall...
After the meal, the old boss found the rice cook and asked him what made the porridge so delicious?
Fantou didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said: "Because Kutou attended the Dharma conference, we didn't have rice to cook with, so we had to make do with grains from the monk's cloth bags. We have to ask him about the specific raw materials."
They came to the kitchen fire room, where was the Budai monk!
However, since then, every year during Laba, the temple has begun to use whole grains and various fruits to make Qibao and Five-flavor porridge, which is called Laba porridge.
Moreover, after the temple offers this porridge to the Buddha, believers who come to worship the Buddha can enjoy it. Gradually, this custom spread to the people, and most people also cook Laba porridge on this day, thus becoming one of the folk customs in our country.
After leaving Tiantai Mountain, Budai monk traveled more than a hundred miles south to Taizhou.
Here, he heard a strange thing: there was a Zen master Shi Yan in Ruiyan Temple in Taizhou. This old man neither chanted sutras nor worshiped Buddha. Instead, he often sat alone on a rock, feeling as if he were in a daze all day long. Every time I call out: "Protagonist!"
Then, he promised himself: "Here we come!" and told himself: "Sure up and don't be bullied by others in the future."
People say that this monk is either stupid or dumb.
When the Budai monk heard this story, he was suddenly shocked: the self-calling and self-instructions of Zen Master Duanyan Shiyan were very meaningful!
Because it runs through the fundamental spirit of Zen - awakening oneself, respecting oneself, realizing oneself and transcending oneself.
According to legend, the Buddha Sakyamuni had just come to the world. He walked seven steps around, pointed one finger to the sky, and said with the other: "I am the only one in heaven and earth."
Although this is a myth and legend, it also reflects the emphasis that Buddhism places on "I".
Of course, this me is the real me.
The so-called true self is the protagonist of each person—the spiritual nature.
This protagonist is never confused or confused. He always knows and will not be deceived by any sound.
In other words, a muddy body, a mood that changes at any time, and habits that are selfish and based on oneself are definitely not the true self.
Therefore, Zen Master Ruiyan reminds the world: "Protagonist, stay awake and don't be deceived in the future!"
When Budai monk came to Ruiyan Temple, he saw Zen Master Shiyan sitting blankly on a lying cow stone.
"What is a Buddha?" Budai monk suddenly asked.
Ruiyan replied calmly: "Stone Cow."
What, the cow carved in stone is actually a Buddha? Buddha, could it be a stone cow?
But the Budai monk smiled knowingly and asked from a different angle: "What is the Dharma?"
Zen Master Ruiyan said: "A son born from a stone cow."
A stone cow can actually give birth to a son! The son of Stone Niu, is he still Stone Niu? Therefore, Budai continued to examine him: "In this case, it will be different."
Ruiyan said: "It cannot be mixed."
Butai asked: "Why can't they be mixed?"
Rui Yan turned around nimbly: "Nothing is the same, so why mix it?"
Yes, Buddha and Dharma are neither one nor different, neither dual nor different. They can neither be deliberately confused nor forcibly separated.
The Budai monk and the Zen master Ruiyan Shiyan had a good understanding, cherished each other, held each other's arms and laughed.
It turned out that Ruiyan Shiyan was the disciple of the famous Yantou Quanzhen.
Yantou Quanhuo is a colorful figure in the history of Chinese Zen Buddhism.
He respected Dongshan Liangji very much and went to Dongshan several times to ask for Zen teachings from the old man Liangji, but he did not agree with Dongshan. He was a disciple of Deshan and inherited the lineage of Deshan, but he did not affirm Deshan Xuanjian; He had never met Linji, but he was deeply influenced by him, and his behavior was very Linji style...
It can be said that Zen Master Yantou embodies the unique style of Zen practitioners of "bearing no chance under the stick, and not yielding to the teacher when the opportunity arises."
"It's a pity that my master has passed away. Otherwise, you would have seen his Zen style." Ruiyan Shiyan said to Budai monk.
Budai smiled and said: "A piece of iron is like a piece of iron for thousands of miles. When you see his son, you will know his father."
Master Ruiyan shook his head: "I am not as good as Master. However, Master Xuefeng Yicun became enlightened in Aoshan under the guidance and inspiration of my master. You can go to Fuzhou to visit him." .”
Of course, Budai has known for a long time that there is a snow peak mountain in Fuzhou, southern Fujian. More than 20 years ago, a solitary peak rose up in the Zen forest, arrogant among all the heroes in the world!
Cuiyan Lingshen, whom Butai once dated, was a disciple of Xuefeng Yicun, and moreover, he was just an ordinary disciple.
There are as many as 1,500 people like him stationed on Xuefeng Mountain all year round! From this we can see how powerful Xuefeng Yicun’s Zen style will be!
Xuefeng Yicun is a famous great master in the history of Zen Buddhism.
In order to realize the Tao, he went to Dongshan three times and nine times to Dongshan. Once, when he was washing rice in the Zhaitang, Master Dongshan Liangqian asked him: "Are you washing away the rice or the sand?"
Xuefeng Yicun knew that the old man was taking the opportunity to talk about Zen.
Zen monks walk, stand, sit and lie down, and never leave their thoughts without practicing. Wandering thoughts and distracting thoughts are like sand in the rice. Only when they are removed and the mind is pure can wisdom be manifested.
However, if you deliberately seek purity, purity will become a delusion.
Therefore, Yicun replied: "Get rid of the rice and sand together!"
Dongshan asked: "So, what do the people eat?"
Without saying a word, Xuefeng Yicun actually turned the rice basin upside down and turned it upside down - Xuefeng's Zen is so cold!
In this way, Xuefengyi has been traveling and practicing all over the country for thirty years: above the vast wilderness, on the top of the majestic mountain peaks, with endless roads and winding mountain paths, Xuefengyi exists among the Zen jungles in the north and south of the Yangtze River. Running back and forth, he left his footprints all over Wu, Chu, Liang, Song, Yan, Zhao, Qin, and Jin.
His body is in close contact with nature, his Dao mind is connected with heaven and earth, he can enjoy the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers, bathe in the essence of the sun and moon, absorb the spiritual energy of plants and trees, and drink in the blue waves of rivers.
Because he gathered the essence of the world, he was able to stand out among his kind and become one of the best masters of that era.
The Zen forest has the reputation of "there are snow peaks in the south and Zhaozhou (congjian) in the north".
Budai monk wanted to see and experience the remaining Zen methods of Xuefeng, so he walked towards the ridge.
After he came to Fuzhou along the east coast post road, he did not go directly to Xuefeng Mountain in Minhou County, but temporarily stayed in Fuzhou City.
…
One day, he was standing at a crossroads with a cloth bag on his back.
A monk asked him what he was doing here. He said he was waiting for someone. The monk started fighting with him and said, "Here he comes, he comes!"
Budai said: "You are not the person I want to wait for."
The monk understood that he was referring to the "real person" - Self-nature, and asked again: "What is that person?"
But he pretended to be dumbfounded, stretched out his hand and said, "Give me a penny!"
How can we say that a real person has no form or form? Although it cannot be said, it can be expressed - isn't it the role of the "real person" to reach out and speak?
Sometimes, he would walk in the streets with a big belly and a bag on the head of his Zen staff, chanting:
I have a cloth bag,
The void has no worries.
Spread to all directions,
See yourself at ease when you enter the moment.
There is an Anguo Zen Temple in Fuzhou City, and its abbot, Zen Master Hongxin, is a disciple of Xuefeng.
Zen Master Hongxin has just taken in a very smart young disciple named Bailu Shigui.
He saw Budai monk singing on the street every day and asked curiously: "What is Budai?"
The Budai monk did not answer, but put down the Budai after hearing the words.
This release is free and easy, and has a Zen feel.
"What's under the bag?"
Master Bailu is of course asking what the deeper essence of Zen is.
The Budai monk didn't say a word, just picked up the Budai and left - so cool and neat, and also contained a chilling Zen spirit.
Bailu Shigui was too young. Although he felt the indescribable Zen spirit from the actions of the Budai monk when he put down and picked up the Budai, it was like looking at flowers in the mist or looking at the moon in the water, hazy, ethereal, and beautiful. It's beautiful, it's wonderful, but it's not clear enough to understand its true meaning.
He described this process to his uncle, the famous Captain Baofu.
Chief Baofu said: "Just wait, I want to see what kind of god this big-bellied monk is!"
Therefore, Baofu ran to the streets of Fuzhou from Zen Master Zhan "de...de" to inspect the Budai monk.
He asked, "What is the general meaning of Buddhism?"
The Budai monk still said nothing and put down the Budai.
Baofu asked: "Is it just that? Is there something more positive?"
The Budai monk picked up the cloth bag, put it on his Zen staff, and walked away.
Chief Baofu saluted his back and praised him: "What a cloth-bag monk. He can put it down and pick it up. This is how free and easy he is!"
After Baofu returned from Zhan, Master Bailu hurriedly came to ask about the situation of the two men's magic battle.
Fu Congzhan said: "It's not about fighting with Dharma, but about being taught. The Zen concept of 'seeing through, letting go, and being at ease' demonstrated by Budai monk is exactly the state of life that we should learn from. If we are like his Budai in everything, If you can pick it up and put it down, it’s really amazing.”
…
That day, Budai monk saw a wandering Zen monk walking on the street. He found that the Zen monk's luggage had the words "Xuefeng Mountain" on it, so he immediately chased after him and suddenly slapped the monk on the back.
The Zen monk was an old practitioner, so he was able to remain calm when dealing with changes. He turned around and said, "Are you going to ask about Buddhism?"
Unexpectedly, Budai monk stretched out his hand and begged shamelessly: "Give me a penny."
However, this Zen monk is a writer with many years of experience (an expert in Zen practice), so he felt a surge of motivation coming from this unbearable behavior.
The Zen monk said: "If you say well, I will give you money."
He put down the bag and stood with his hands crossed. Seeing this, the Zen monk bowed deeply. ——How comfortable it is to put down the bag!
The Budai monk has been wandering around Fuzhou for a long time. Many people know this pot-bellied monk who is trapped in a Budai. However, the only people who really know about the unfathomable depth of his Zen enlightenment are Baofu Congzhan and a few discerning people.
One year in late spring, he went up the Minjiang River and entered Minhou County. Xuefeng Mountain, where Master Yicun is the abbot, is not far ahead.
Xuefeng Mountain, formerly known as Xianggu Mountain (Elephant Bone Peak), is a scenic spot in Fujian and Vietnam. It snows before winter and is still cold in midsummer.
That year, Zen Master Yicun traveled all over the country for thirty spring and autumn years. When he returned to southern Fujian after completing his studies, he passed by this mountain, encountered heavy snow and stayed on the top of the mountain.
Later, the King of Fujian asked Zen Master Yicun: "What's so strange about you staying in Xianggu Mountain at night?"
Yi Cun replied: "There is still snow on the top of the mountain in the summer months."
The King of Fujian then changed the name of Xianggu Mountain to Xuefeng Mountain.
Zen Master Yicun loved its purity, so he created a garland with grass on the mountain and built a nunnery to promote Dharma.
Because of his profound enlightenment and brilliant teachings, when the mountain temple was first built, monks gathered in large numbers, and the number of monks often exceeded 1,500.
At this time, Xuefeng Mountain was the largest Zen dojo in the country; Master Xuefeng Yicun was shining brightly in the sky. Many monks traveled thousands of miles to visit the mountains.
However, Budai monk passed by Xuefeng Mountain but did not go up the mountain!
You know, the reason why he traveled from eastern Zhejiang to southern Fujian was to meet Xuefeng Yicun! Now why do you pass through the mountain gate without entering?
The so-called Zen person is straightforward and true.
Monk Budai already knew his Zen style from the disciples of Xuefeng, so why did they need to meet again? As the saying goes: Come with pleasure and leave with all the pleasure.
Budai monk continued to swim up the Minjiang River, gradually leaving Xuefeng Mountain behind him. The wilderness echoed with an eternal song he recited:
One bowl of food for thousands of families,
Traveling thousands of miles alone.
There are few people in Qingjian,
Ask Baiyuntou for directions.
…
That year, Sakyamuni Buddha lived in the Jishuji Garden south of Savatthi City.
On this day, the Buddha ascended to his Dharma throne, surrounded by 1,250 great monks, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, and Maitreya, respectfully surrounding him.
At this time, Mahakasyapa stood up in the crowd, walked to the Buddha, raised his right shoulder, knelt on the right knee, and asked the Buddha to preach.
The Buddha, with his infinite compassion, preached the subtle Dharma to the public.
Finally, Venerable Mahakassapa said to the Buddha: "World Honored One, the Dharma you spoke of is a beacon that guides the world. I only hope that you will stay in this world for a long time and teach us the Dharma."
The Buddha said: "How can anyone be immortal? Tathagata and I are the same. Soon, I will reach nirvana."
After hearing this, Venerable Kassapa was very anxious and hurriedly begged: "World Honored One, what can we do? I wish you could live in this world for only one kalpa (432 million years, which means an extremely long time that cannot be calculated). This makes the Dharma more deeply rooted in people’s hearts.”
At this time, the Buddha smiled slightly: "Kasyapa, why are you talking like a child? In the vast world, birth, residence, change and destruction, formation, residence and destruction, emptiness, birth, old age, sickness and death are the laws of nature. Kasyapa, in the next five hundred years, There are still sentient beings with good roots and pure hearts who can achieve enlightenment. Therefore, please protect my righteous Dharma."
Kassapa humbly said: "World Honored One, you know that I am satisfied with my few desires. I am good at asceticism. I have little wisdom and lack of eloquence. Therefore, it is difficult for me to take on such an important responsibility. World Honored One, it is extremely difficult to protect the true Dharma in the years after the Buddha's death." , only a Bodhisattva can do it. World Honored One, if you use a Dharma treasure to instruct the Bodhisattva, he will never disappear or be destroyed, and he will be able to benefit countless and boundless sentient beings, continue the seed of Buddha, and have the treasure of the Sangha."
Mahakassapa turned to Maitreya and continued: "World Honored One, Maitreya Bodhisattva is here. If you entrust him with the Dharma Treasure, in the years to come, he will definitely be able to protect it, speak widely, and promote it. Why? Maitreya Bodhisattva should realize the wisdom of the Tathagata in the next life. Just like the king in the world leaves the throne and the prince takes over to govern the country, let nature take its course. World Honored One, Maitreya Bodhisattva is also like this. He should inherit the right position and protect the righteous Dharma."
The Buddha nodded: "That's right, that's right, Kassapa, it's just as you said."
Immediately, the Buddha stretched out his golden right arm, with his palm in the shape of a lotus, caressing Maitreya's head, and said slowly: "Maitreya, I charge you that when the Dharma is destroyed in the future, you should protect the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha treasures, and do not allow them to be cut off. .”
At this time, the vast world shook in six ways, and light shone everywhere. Between heaven and earth, countless gods clasped their hands together and said to Maitreya: "The Tathagata has entrusted the Holy One with one Dharma. I only hope that the Holy One will receive this for the sake of benefiting all mankind and heaven." Dharma.”
Maitreya stood up from his seat, raised his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, put his hands together, and respectfully said to Sakyamuni: "World Honored One, I have suffered countless kalpas in order to benefit all living beings. How much more so when the Tathagata pays me the righteous Dharma? How can we not accept it happily? World Honored One, I accept and uphold the true Dharma now, and I will preach it in the future and make it widely popular."
Hearing that Maitreya was continuing the dharma rectification, the sky burst into cheers, the goddesses scattered flowers, and the immortal music sang...
The Buddha praised Maitreya and said: "Good, good, Maitreya, now you are roaring like a lion in front of me, upholding and guarding the Tathagata Buddha. You must know that in the past countless worlds and countless times, great Bodhisattvas like you were also roaring like a lion." , protect the righteous Dharma and never let it be cut off."
Then, Maitreya asked the Buddha to speak about the profound and wonderful Dharma, and he himself went even further and reinterpreted the Buddha's purpose.
When Maitreya was preaching, five hundred monks stood up from their seats and left the Dharma assembly. Venerable Kassapa asked them: "Maitreya's sermon is very subtle. If you don't listen, where are you going?"
Those monks said: "The Dharma taught by Maitreya Bodhisattva is very profound and rare. However, we cannot understand it and cannot practice it on time. If we cannot practice it, we will be ashamed of the charity of the believers. Therefore, we would rather return to secular life than pretend to be deceived." People in the world receive support from others in vain.”
At this time, Manjushri Bodhisattva came over and praised those monks: "Good, good, monks should be like you. They would rather return to the secular world than waste their years doing perfunctory work and receiving alms in vain."
Manjushri Bodhisattva turned around and asked the Buddha: "World Honored One, what kind of person should be supported by believers?"
The Buddha said: "Those who practice liberation, I have ordained that they will receive respect and charity from the public."
Manjushri then said to the five hundred bhikkhus: "You should go to practice immediately. You must know that the Buddha's world is difficult to value and the Buddha's Dharma is difficult to smell."
They asked Manjushri Bodhisattva, "How should we practice?"
Manjusri said: "You should observe like this: not a single dharma is combined, not a single dharma is dispersed, not a single dharma is born, not a single dharma is destroyed, not a single dharma is accepted, not a single dharma is given up, not a single dharma is added, not a single dharma is subtracted. If If you do this, you will gain nothing from the Dharma. If you have no gain, there will be no going. If you have no going, there will be no coming. If you have no coming, there will be no going. Do you understand? This is no coming, no going, no abiding, and no abiding."
When the five hundred monks heard this, they immediately felt liberated.
Then, the Buddha explained to everyone various methods of purifying bodhisattva conduct.
Finally, the Buddha said to Maitreya: "Good man, in the years after my nirvana, when the true Dharma is about to disappear, there will be countless sentient beings who are tired of the world, yearn for the Tathagata, develop bodhicitta, enter monasteries, become monks, or practice Buddhism. Practice the original conduct of a Bodhisattva and achieve great Bodhi without turning back. Such living beings will definitely be reborn in the Tushita Heavenly Palace after their death. In the inner courtyard of Maitreya, they can see the boundless merits of your true body and be absorbed by your majesty. . In the next life, I will follow you to the great treasure dragon flower tree and achieve the true fruition."
After hearing the Buddha's words, countless new Bodhisattvas established strong confidence, and those heretics also initiated Bodhicitta. They vowed to follow Maitreya and achieve Buddhahood in the Longhua Trilogy.
